Mariners Upset

Thursday was a heartbreaker for the PACWEST champion VIU Mariners, falling in five-sets in their CCAA semifinal to the Quebec champion Lynx d’Edouard-Montpetit.

The Mariners opened the set with a 26-24 win in a tight back-and-forth matchup that set the tone for the rest of the day as both teams complemented each other well.  In the second set the Lynx battled back to even the match with a 25-23 win.

With points at a premium both schools traded punches in the third set trying to take advantage before the Mariners found an extra gear to win 25-20 to put themselves in the driver’s seat.

That momentum, however, didn’t last long as the Lynx came out with purpose in the fourth set with their hopes for gold on the line and evened the match again with an impressive 25-15 victory to force a decisive fifth set.

In the finale the Lynx jumped out to an 8-5 lead and never looked back ending the Mariners hopes of a national crown with a 15-10 victory, pushing the PACWEST champs to the bronze medal side of the bracket. Regan Ingram was the Player of the Match with a team high 16 kills and Grace Brisebois added 15.

On Friday the Mariners will lock horns with the ACAA champion Mount Allison Mounties in a bronze medal semifinal at 4:00pm PST.  The winner advances to play for bronze and the loser will head home.   The Mariners are the defending national bronze medalists.